Multiple Sclerosis Caused by Traumatic Brain Injuries?
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer. There has been a lot of attention paid to concussions in recent years. A new study has been published demonstrating that repeated concussions (a common type of traumatic brain injury) in teenagers could be linked to the development of a debilitating disease called multiple sclerosis.
How do Concussions Happen?
The causes of traumatic brain injuries, such as concussions, are varied; however, in teenagers, sports remains as one of the most common causes. While much of the attention has focused on football, concussions can happen in other sports as well. Soccer, basketball, lacrosse, and other sports have seen teenagers diagnosed repeatedly with concussions. The symptoms can vary but can include headaches, memory loss, and even loss of consciousness. The treatment of a concussion will vary depending on the severity. Some patients may simply need to rest while others could be given medication to relieve inflammation and swelling in their brain. The prognosis and timeline of any return to physical activity should be a joint decision made by a patient and their physician. Regardless, concussions do have the potential to lead to serious medical issues down the road.
An Overview of the Research Study
A team of researchers took a look at every patient diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in a Swedish database. Overall, the database spanned multiple sclerosis diagnoses going back over 50 years. They compared these diagnoses to patients who had visited a hospital for a concussion during the same timeframe. They found a troubling trend regarding teenagers and head trauma. Teenagers who had experienced a single concussion were more than twenty times more likely to develop multiple sclerosis than their healthy counterparts. Those who experience multiple concussions are even more likely to develop this debilitating disease, which could seriously impact someone’s livelihood.
Multiple Sclerosis and Legal Issues
Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the white matter of the brain. It can cause chronic pain, loss of vision, and extreme fatigue. Many people will also have trouble coordinating the movements of their hands and feet, making it hard to walk, talk, and write. Those who have traumatic brain injuries and later develop multiple sclerosis may lose the ability to work and could have issues applying for disability and keeping their financial situation afloat. This is where an experienced, caring attorney who places the needs of their clients ahead of their own can be helpful. Everyone in this situation could use a guide to help navigate the legal issues of traumatic brain injuries and multiple sclerosis. This will allow the patient and their loved ones to focus on their recovery.
Related Articles by Injury Lawyer, Edward A Smith ~
- Rehabilitation and Healing After Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Lasers Show Potential in Treatment of TBI
- Traumatic Brain Injury Resource Pages
Contact an Experienced Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer. If you’ve been injured in an accident, call me for free, friendly advice at (916) 921-6400 for (800) 404-5400.
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